Hey, I got a new little friend to add to my never-ending feltedholidaydecor. I’ve had this idea ever since I scored a bunch of embroidery hoops at the thrift store.

I took a wool fisherman type sweater, cut off/opened up the sleeves and felted them (hot water wash, dry on low in dryer). Then I took 2 wooden embroidery hoops, 6 1/2″ and 8 1/2″ in diameter, and inserted the sleeve pieces into the hoops. The tricky part here is that the sweater was so thick, I had to take the screw out of the hoop to open it up wide enough to accommodate the sweater. I then secured the hoop by taking a length of floral wire, threading it through the screw holes and twisting it tightly. When I did that to the second hoop, I looped the two hoops together with the wire. (it doesn’t look pretty, but it all gets hidden by the scarf!). I trimmed off the excess sweater, tucked the edges to the back and used a hot glue gun to attach them to the back edge of the hoop. (for reference visuals, you can check out the purl bee’s swatch portrait tutorial for this part)

The little hat and scarf were cut from another felted sweater, but polar fleece would also work in this situation. The buttons are miscellaneous ones from my button jar and the nose is a felt ball. He is very lightweight and hangs easily on a hook or nail.

I apologize for the off-the cuff tutorial, but I’m trying to be economical with my time. This was supposed to be a project for a 2009 holiday magazine, but they want something else. So, I get to share it with you instead! Problem is, I still have the magazine project on my to-do list. D’oh! If you try one and need some help, give me a holler.

Oh, and here’s one more felty holiday tradition we have. I showed our “jack horner pie” last year but just had to post it again. Besides, it’s a good use for any leftover fisherman sweater you might have if you make the snowman.

I love snowmen and that crafty idea is great! Love it and it is so easy! Thank you!!!~Tam :D

SimoneDecember 10, 2008

You are so innovative. I wish I had lots of creative ideas like you do!

JamieDecember 10, 2008

He just makes me smile…he looks so happy to be alive, hehe! Very creative, I always love your ideas! I’d love to get to make one of these (now let’s see if I can get all of my other decorations finished first). Ooo, baby cryin’ ….good day to you!

AnnieDecember 10, 2008

Oh my goodness that is so cute. I’m going to add that to my to-do list. Now I know what to do with the hoops I picked up at Goodwill too :)

kristinaDecember 10, 2008

YOU are so creative, Betz! I just love all of your creations! Thank you for inspiring me!!! LOVE that snowman! ;)

Wow – you are so talented. The snowman is super cute, my children would adore him.

CraftyCaroleDecember 10, 2008

way tooo cute! you are my hero!

EmilyDecember 10, 2008

I love the snowman and it’s the perfect use for my leftover hoops from creating my own adventures in swatch portraits. My 28 year old boyfriend is looking forward to hanging one on his office door :-D

jessicaDecember 10, 2008

That is sooooooooooo incredibly adorable! I absolutely love snowmen, crafting and eco-friendly projects and this fits the bill entirely! Keep it up, I always love checking in with your new projects and ideas :-).

MeredithDecember 10, 2008

I love it! A great project for the several felted fisherman’s sweaters that are too bulky to do anything else with. I will make this for sure. Thanks for the great idea.

LaurieDecember 11, 2008

Your snowman is adorable!

ferneDecember 11, 2008

I am really liking that chimney and thinking it would be a good thing to hold some Christmas cards…which reminds me I need to get mine into the mail. This season really does go by quickly doesn’t it. Great projects here. Thanks for sharing.

Happy Holidays!

babelfishDecember 11, 2008

I love how you always take something and turn it into something completely unexpected, the snowman is so cute!

AnonymousDecember 11, 2008

Hey Betz,

I sure would love to come to a christmas tea at your house, too bad I live in Montana!! I am seriouly obsessed with felting, my husband is starting to worry!! The sweaters are taking over the house and creaping out of my studio into the hallway, help. I do have a question for you, how do you store/organize all your sweaters, I need some advice before they make it to the kitchen!!I love reading your blog so nice to see others on the same page. Happy Thursday, Mariah

Love the little guy!~What a clever use of recycled sweater’s and embroidery hoops. I’m already starting to get things together for next holiday …this will definetly be something I add to my to do list. Good luck with the magazine article!

Your snowman is adorable (no surprise), but I just had to comment about your Jack Horner Pie/Chimney tradition. My family has had that same tradition for at least 80 years. My great grandmother (Grandma Clio – “great grandma” made her feel old) wrapped small gifts for everyone, with strings leading to each person’s place at the table. As the family grew, the strings disappeared and were replaced with clues in the form of short rhymes on the outside of the gifts. We have to read our rhymes out loud and try to guess the contents of the gift based on the rhyme. Although Grandma Clio is no longer with us, my grandfather continued the tradition, and now that he is gone, my grandmother chooses the gifts and writes the rhymes each year.

I made up a couple of these this week thinking of giving them to my boys’ school teachers, but they turned out so cute I’m going to have to keep them and make more. I hit the thrift store bag sale and scored some more hoops. I was also thinking of a penguin…hum thanks for the cute idea. I t has snowed over a foot here in Montana, gorgeous. Have a great weekend. Mariah

Betz WhiteDecember 13, 2008

Mariah,Oh a penguin sounds great! Especially if you use a long oval hoop vertically. :) Send pics if you make one!Betz

I thought the gingerbread and snowman were just the cutest things around!

I have a knitting business blog. If you want to take a look at it, please do! The address for it is: knittingbyleah.blogspot.com. If you see anything that you’d like me to make for the winter season, just let me know and you can send an e-mail to me at [email protected]. Thank you so much for sharing your art!

AngelaDecember 20, 2008

Thanks a lot for inventing this adorable little pal. And for giving me permission to show it to my blog readers :)

burritoDecember 4, 2009

That is super cute – thanks for sharing!

CaseyDecember 13, 2009

he is so cute! I love this idea!

Libby ButtonsDecember 24, 2009

This will be the perfect cutie for my front door. I’m going to make one tomorrow (well maybe the next day).Wishing you a season of CoMfOrt & jOyLiBBy BuTTons

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